Handle device



Mai' l2, 1942 F. c. WALLACE 2,282,412

HANDLE DEVICE Filed Dec. 13, 1940 SQLZ i soa,

Patented May 12, 1942 Unirse fer-Arcs', PATEN T' OFFICE HANDLE DEVICE Frank C. Wallace, Los. Angeles, Calif., assignor Curler, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application December 13, 41940, Serial No. 369,917

to Hollywood Comb My invention relates `to handle devices and, among its principal objects, I aim to provide a handle or knob which may be easily and securely mounted on a door or the like without the use of bolts or screws; which may be economically made and assembled; which, when once Lmounted, remains in the installed position without the necessity of subsequent adjustment; and which is strong and durable.

All the above-mentioned features and objects poses of description, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section and partly in elevation, showing oneend ofthe device in fully mounted position and the other end in partially mounted position;

Fig. 2 is a sectionon line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation of a variational form;

Fig. 5 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of another variational form;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the device of Fig. 5 in assembled form;

Fig. 7 is a section on line 'I-I of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section showing a further variational form of device with the locking member in contracted position; and

Fig. 9 is a View partly in elevation and partly in section of the device of Fig. 8 but showing the locking member in expanded position.v

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, I show at 5 a section of a wooden base which may be typical of a door or drawer or the like upon which my improved handle is mounted, into which base I iirst provide a pair of spaced holes 6.

My handle device is comprised of a main body portion having a medial handle I0 and integrally formed ends II, IIa. Each of the ends is substantially L-shaped, presenting a bottom portion I 2 which rests against the base 5 upon which the device is mounted, and a top portion which terminates below the plane of the handle member II) whereby to provide a shoulder I5 which is 55 transversely grooved at I6 for the purpose to-be described. A hole 2|] is provided through each of the bottom elements I2 and mountedin this hole is a tubular insert or locking member preferably made offlexible metal and having a body 22 .and prongs 23' presenting sharp end portions 24 for penetrating the sidewalls ofV the hole Ii. While any desired number of prongs 23 may be utilized, I preferably utilize two pairs of oppositely disposed prongs, the prongs of one pair being relatively longer than the prongsof the other pair. For the purpose of holding the handie in position secured to the base 5, the top end n.

of the insert 22 is provided with an outwardly disposed annular flange 25 which `is countersunk into the top face of theend I2 by means of re-` cess 26 in the latter.. vThis flange y25 prevents further downwardl longitudinal movement of the insert with respect to the-hole 20sso that when the prongs 23. are expanded to engage the side walls of the hole 6 in the manner to be herein after explained, the handle device is securely held onto the base 5. The prongs 23, before being expanded, occupy the contracted position shown at the right-hand end of Fig. 1." I provide two end pieces 30, 30a which fit over the end portions II, IIa, respectively, each ofthe said end pieces presenting alongitudinal recess 3I into which its the outer face and side `walls of the respective end portions II, IIa. Av downwardly extending tongue 34 provided in the top of the recess 3| projects into the groove I6 to hold the top end of the respective end members 30 onto the body. At the bottom of each of the end members 30,

30a there is a downwardly projecting pin 35 preferably formed as an integral part of the respective end members. This pin is inserted in the tubular insert 22 and when pushed completely down to the point at which the shoulder portion 31 abuts the top face of abottom member I2, 12a, the lower end of the pin enters between and acts to expand the prongs 23 to force their sharp ends 24 into the side walls of the hole E (see the lefthand end of Fig. 1). In Fig. 1, the right-hand end member 30a is shown in position ready for its pin 35 to be pushed down into the insert 22 to expand the prongs 23, and the left-hand end member is shown in the lowermost or expanding position-that is, the position which the device occupies when fully mounted.

While any suitable material may be used for forming the elements of my device, I have found it particularly suitable to use a plastic in the making of the portions I0, II, IIa, I2, 30, 30a and 35.

In Fig. 4, I show a slightly modiedform of my device which is identical with the device of Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, except that the weight of the end members 40 is reduced by the provision of an annular recess 4| around pin 35. The other elements of Fig. 4 are the same as in Fig. 1 and are given like numerals.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7, I illustrate still another variational form which my invention may take. Referring to those figures, I show a knob comprised of a lower portion 50 having a hollow interior and an opening I through its bottom end to receive the tubular insert or locking member 22, which locking member is provided with the prongs 23 as before described. The upper end 54 of the hollow interior is of relativelygreater diameter than the lower portion whereby to receive with a snug it the bottom circular projection 55 of the upper knob `portion 51. Depending from the bottom of top knob portion 51 and projecting into the insert 22, I provide a pin 58 which acts to expand the prongs 23 in the manner before described.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that in order to install one of my improved handles or knobs on a door or the like it is only necessary to provide a hole partway through the door or the like large enough to receive the tubular insert, after which the insert portion projecting from the bottom of the handleV device is inserted in the hole and the end pieces 30, 30a of Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, or40 of Fig. 4 or the top knob portion 51 of Figs. 5 to 7, inclusive, may be mounted b'y inserting the expanding pin in the insert member to expand the prongs into the side walls of the hole 6. :When thus installed, the device is held in position by virtue of the prongs and the flange 25.

In Figs. 8 and 9, I show a further variational form of my invention, and referring to those figures the lower part of the knob member 50 has the opening 5| through its bottom, in which opening is carried a .tubular insertwhichprojects into the hole 6 in base 5. and has a pair of oppositely disposed openings 6I in its side wall .adjacent its lower end. An yannular flange 25 at its top is provided for Athe purpose before described. The top or movable` handle portion corresponding to handle portion 51 in Fig. 5, for instance, carries` at its lower end a pin 65 to which a exible prong member is secured at 66 as by extending through a transverse hole (not shown) in the lower end of pin 65, the ends of the member 10 projecting through opening Bi so that when the device is moved from the contracted position shown in Fig. 8 to the expanded position shown in Fig. 9, the prongs 10 are forced outwardly into the side walls of hole 6. This expanding operation is accomplished by pushing the pin 65 downwardly in the insert from the position of Fig. 8 to the position of Fig. 9.

`While I have resorted to considerable detail for the purpose of making my invention understood, I wish it understood that within the broader scope of my invention, as defined by the appended claims, various modifications and adaptations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. VA device of the class described comprising a body presenting a medial handle portion and oppositely disposed L-shaped end portions, a hole through the body of each of said end portions, a tubular locking member mounted in each of said holes, each of said locking members having an outwardly anged top portion engaging the body and oppositely disposed prongs projecting below the body, and a pair of detachable end portions mounted on said L-shaped end portions ,of the body, each of said detachable end portions through the body of each ofV said end portions, a

tubular locking member mounted in each of said holes, each of said locking members having an outwardly flanged top portion engaging the body and oppositely disposed prongs projecting below the body, a pair of detachable end portions mounted on said L-shaped end portions of the body, each of said detachable end portions having a portion projecting into each of the respective lockingY membersbetween said prongs whereby to expand said prongs outwardly, and tongue and groove means for securing the said detachable end portions to the body.

FRANK C. WALLACE. 

